Firefighter 1 Recruit Class is ready to serve our community

CHELAN – After working so hard for the past three and a half months, the 2018 firefighter recruit class graduated in front of their families, friends and colleagues at Chelan High School Performing Arts Center.

This wouldn’t have been possible without the $924,308 volunteer recruitment grant given to Chelan, Entiat and Orondo back in 2017, for a four year period. This grant was given to the agencies due to the decrease in volunteering recruitment, the grant covers all the costs for up to 80 volunteers.

The first graduating class from the academy consisted of 27 volunteers. Twenty of them were from Chelan, five from Entiat and two from Orondo. This number exceeded expectations, the program’s goal was to have 20 volunteers per year. “We are off to a good start, I am excited for that” stated Assistant Fire Chief Brandon Asher.
Chelan Mayor Mike Cooney congratulated and thanked the recruits. “I appreciate your volunteerism, I think it is a sign of a great community when people step forward and volunteer in all manners in our town,” said the mayor.  

Volunteering in the communities of North Central Washington is highly important. Volunteers in our community and all over the country save the communities over $140 billion.

Twelfth District Representative Mike Steele  claims “I’ve been a tireless advocate to recognize what volunteer firefighting means … so people know what it means to live in an urban wild land fire active community.” Steele’s priorities in the legislature is to have the volunteers be recognized for their sacrifice. 

During the ceremony Fire Chief Mike Asher Chelan County #8 Entiat, Fire Commissioner Stacy Barker Chelan County #8 Entiat, Fire Chief Jim Oatey Douglas County #4 Orondo, Fire Chief Tim Lemon Chelan County #7 Chelan and Fire Commissioner Jay Witherbee Chelan County #7 Chelan, all made an appearance and delivered short speeches to the recruits.

Washington State Fire Academy Chief Deputy Fire Marshall Howard Scartozzi, recognized the many instructors who helped trained the recruits, most of them volunteered their time to get the recruits ready. The 25 instructors received a special award by Scartozzi who embraced them in a hug of gratitude, one by one.

Special recognition was given to Administrative Office Manager Carol Kibler and Administrative Assistant Faye Barker, who were in charge of putting the academy together and controlled all paperwork. Kibler and Barker received a Fire Marshall pin for all their contribution to the program.

This first time around, Chelan was the host agency for the academy. “It’s a lot of work for the host and the department and it takes commitment from the Chief to have his people involved and to doing a program like this,” said Scartozzi. Lemon, Deputy Fire Chief Mike Donnell and Asher were awarded not only with applause of the crowd but also with a certificate for their excellence.  

Scartozzi gave the recruits one important advice before pinning of the badges; “Now when you are out there in the community, you are being looked at as a firefighter in this community. Whether you are in uniform or not in uniform … so go forth use your training, conduct yourself properly. It is not how you conduct yourself when people aren’t looking, is how you conduct yourself when people are looking, use that rule and will never go wrong.”

The first one pinned from Douglas County Fire District #4 Orondo was Firefighter Ryan Knight followed by Firefighter Jason Wildeboer and Firefighter Garrett Rains, who was not present in the ceremony.

The second district to be pinned was Chelan County Fire District #8 Entiat. Starting off with Firefighter Tucker Hodd, Firefighter Autumn Doyle, next Firefighter Jody Casey and Firefighter Mike Aday. Not present due to being assigned to a fire in Colorado was Firefighter Robert Poyner.

Last but not least was the pinning for the Chelan Fire and Rescue #7 recruits; Firefighter Sam Belsky, Firefighter David Bingham, Firefighter Vanessa Calhoun, Firefighter Kevin Cox, Firefighter Luke Jahnke, Firefighter Cameron Kimbrough, Firefighter Doug Morgan, Firefighter Hunter Newmiller, Firefighter Billy Pruter, Firefighter Ismael Rodriguez, Firefighter Casey Tjeerdsma, Firefighter Jim Whipps, Firefighter Connor Wiggs and lastly Firefighter Austin Yancey. Firefighter John Peterson is fighting the fires in Colorado, he wasn’t present for the ceremony. Also not present was Firefighter Jacob Wisdom and Firefighter Johnathon Tellez, who recently became a dad.

Lemon was in charge of  reading the Oath, while the recruits repeated word by word after him. Donnell gave final remarks and Chaplain Ed Bleitz ended the ceremony by blessing the new 27 firefighters and their families.